MulteFire is a novel wireless access technology based on long term evolution (LTE), and this technology can be independently operated in an unlicensed spectrum without authorized frequency band carriers. MulteFire extends LTE into the unlicensed spectrum, and the physical layer introduces a Listen Before Talk (LBT) mechanism that is similar to wireless-fidelity (WiFi), to realize fair competition for air interface resources with unlicensed frequency band equipment.
MulteFire may be used in the existing 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network architecture to interface with the existing 3GPP core network to provide capacity, coverage and data offload from unlicensed spectrum for traditional mobile network operators and improve the service quality of the traditional operators with supplemental authorized spectrum or hotspots.
Meanwhile, MulteFire also introduces new network architecture, provides a unified planning and self-organizing Neutral Host network. Service providers, equipment vendors or users may participate in network deployment. The network deployed by anyone can serve various service providers which include an internet service provider, a cable TV and mobile network operator, an enterprise and a public place service provider, and may provide authentication and network access for a terminal device without a subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card.
Currently, an alliance organization for promoting MulteFire has been established and operated to promote the development of MulteFire's global technology specifications, to promote the future evolution of MulteFire and to ensure that MulteFire devices and other devices (such as WiFi devices) in the unlicensed spectrum compete fairly for unlicensed spectrum resources.
At present, two network modes of MulteFire are divided into Evolved Packet Core Network (EPC) connection mode and Neutral Host (NH) mode. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the NH mode is a network mode in which MulteFire (MF) Radio Access Network (RAN) and the MF core network (CN) are connected. MF CN is a unified plan and self-organizing neutral network which is newly introduced by MulteFire, and does not support RAN-level switching with the 3 GPP network. The EPC connection mode is a network mode in which the MF RAN interfaces with the existing 3GPP core network, and the UE can perform S1 and X2 handover between the MF RAN and the 3GPP RAN, as shown in FIG. 3. The access layer physical layer technologies of the above two networks adopt LTE but introduce an LBT-based listening mechanism different from LTE.
In the NH mode of MulteFire, in order to support a variety of service providers, including the internet service provider, the cable TV and mobile network operator, the enterprise and the public place service provider, Participating Service Provider Identity (PSP-ID) is introduced. The MF RAN can be provided to one or more service providers. The MulteFire network determines certification, authentication or accounting server of the UE through the PSP-ID. The PSP-ID is divided into two types including a short-format PSP-ID and a long-format PSP-ID. In order to save air interface resources, the RAN system broadcast transmits only the short-format PSP-ID supported by the MF RAN.
In carrying out the process of the present disclosure, the inventor has found that at least the following problems exist in the related art: the short-format PSP-ID transmitted in the system broadcast is a simplified service provider identifier, which may only indicate a service provider vaguely. The long-format PSP-ID is the actual service provider identity. The UE needs to obtain the long-format PSP-ID actually supported by the MF RAN to determine whether the MF RAN supports the designated service provider. However, there is no mechanism in the related art for the UE to know the long-format PSP-ID supported by the MF access device.